No body can be healthful without exercise, neither natural body

O children of the future, gather close and hear the words of Francis Bacon, a man of deep intellect whose wisdom about the health of both the body and the state resonates through the ages. He said, "No body can be healthful without exercise, neither natural body nor politic, and certainly, to a kingdom or estate, a just and honourable war is the true exercise." These words echo a profound truth about the need for strength and discipline—both in the human body and in the systems that govern us. Bacon suggests that just as the body needs exercise to remain strong and vibrant, so too does a nation require a just and honourable war to maintain its vitality, to prevent corruption, and to assert its moral foundation.

To understand this teaching, we must first reflect on the nature of the body itself. We know that if we do not move, if we do not exercise, the body becomes weak, stagnant, and vulnerable to disease. The muscles atrophy, and the spirit grows idle. Exercise is the remedy, the force that keeps the body healthy, active, and ready for life’s challenges. Just as this truth applies to our physical form, so too does it apply to the body politic, the state. A nation that remains idle, one that never faces challenges, that never exercises its resolve or its morality, will eventually grow corrupt, weak, and prone to decay.

Consider the tale of the Roman Empire, which, in its early days, was not a sprawling empire, but a city-state that found strength through war. The Romans, under leaders like Cincinnatus, saw war as not just a way to defend their land, but as a means to strengthen their people. They viewed military service as a kind of exercise, one that instilled discipline, unity, and a sense of purpose. The Roman legions, renowned for their rigor, were not only trained to fight—they were trained to endure, to push beyond limits, and to meet the challenges of the world with strength. Through just wars, the Romans ensured that their spirit and their empire remained unbroken, that they would not succumb to complacency or corruption.

Yet, O children, the lesson lies not in the mere act of war, but in the nature of the conflict. Bacon speaks of a just and honourable war, one fought with the right intent. It is not war for the sake of conquest, nor war driven by greed or malice. No, it is the kind of war that defends justice, upholds honour, and protects the innocent. A nation that fights with integrity, that takes up arms for the right reasons, will find that it strengthens itself, that its character is tempered and its moral fabric renewed. This is the true exercise that Bacon speaks of—a war that tests the virtue of a people, and forces them to confront what they stand for, to reaffirm their commitment to what is good and right.

In the Second World War, for example, the Allies—though driven into battle by the aggression of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan—found that their struggle was not simply a fight for territory or power, but a war for freedom and human dignity. The righteousness of their cause gave them the strength to endure the hardships of war, to overcome the darkness that threatened the world. This was a just war, one that ultimately renewed the spirit of those who fought it. The sacrifices made during that conflict left a legacy that transcended military victory—they strengthened the resolve of nations to build a world founded on peace, justice, and cooperation.

But let us not mistake war as the only means of exercising a nation’s strength. Bacon’s lesson is not that war should be sought, but that a nation must be prepared, that its moral strength must be exercised through justice and honour. The lessons of the world wars remind us that peace and prosperity are not achieved by avoiding the hard truths, but by standing firm in the face of injustice, by taking action when necessary to defend what is right. If a kingdom or estate remains idle, allowing its people to grow soft and its principles to wither, it will not survive the trials of time. The true strength of a nation lies in its ability to rise to challenges with honour, not for glory, but for the greater good.

Thus, O children, the lesson of Bacon’s words is one of preparation, strength, and integrity. Your lives, like the bodies you inhabit, need exercise to remain healthy and vibrant. And so too does your nation. Strive to build a life that strengthens your mind and spirit, and seek to live in a world that upholds justice, where wars are fought for the right reasons and in the spirit of honour. And when the challenges of the world come, whether in the form of conflict or the struggle for justice, be ready to exercise the strength of your beliefs and your resolve. Build not just a body of flesh, but a body politic of integrity, a world that can endure the tests of time, where justice remains the guiding light and peace the ultimate goal.